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Banner of Corpses Video Project

So I'm currently working on a video project called, "Banner of Corpses." its about the Jewish Holocaust and the Native American Genocide. The lyrics are by a psychic lady, the Great Loudini from Denver, CO. I did the music and I'm currently writing the script. And yes, I'm also going to direct and film the video.

These kind of subjects are almost always overlooked. Why? Maybe we choose to let go and forget the past. But what we need to understand is that history does and will repeat itself.

This project is a major history lesson. And it should be shared not stored away. Everyone needs to know the truth and to learn tolerance among different ethnicities. And yes, racism is alive and breeding in today's society. I have been a victim to racist remarks, and even threatened for being Native American.

Just recently in my hometown of Farmington, NM, 3 white supremacists branded a mentally retarded Native American with a swastika and wrote racial remarks all over him and let him go back onto the streets. I have been saying for years that Farmington is a racist community. What better way to support my claim are acts like this that go on.
I do know that the door swings both ways, but I don't recall any Native American branding a non-native with native designs intentionally to harm or degrade an individual.

Going back to the Banner of Corpses project, many people don't realize that Hitler was a student of history. He studied American Indian policy to model his "Final Solution." not to mention he followed an American writer named, Madison Grant who wrote a book in 1916 called, "The Passing of the Great Race." which talked about weeding out the weaker races for America. Also, American President, Teddy Roosevelt, created the Hereditary Commission to promote breeding of good families and sterilized the unfit poor communities and ethnic groups in 1906.

I could go on and on, like with subjects like "Manifest Destiny" and Thomas Jefferson's "Indian Removal Act" which Hitler used to remove Jews from German areas but I would be boring you. So what better way than to try and show it visually with a music video?
I know that after this project is done, I might be criticized and maybe singled out but I'm merely restating the truth. As a Native American, I am proud of my ethnicity. I love all of my fellow human beings. We may be different, but we are one. The Human Race.

Music is an universal medium. We all speak it. Hear it, and learn to tolerate differences.

Chuck Haven
Sig99

The LIFE of a musician

I noticed I haven't posted a blog in awhile. Life seems to have been keeping me busy. The ups and downs. Work and not working. Gigging and writing new music. Traveling and meeting new people. I didn't realize how busy I was until the past couple of months. One thing I always stress to people, is that music does take a toll on your personal life.

For example, I was babysitting, well, not exactly babysitting, I was substituting teaching at the local high school. A student recognized me, and said, "Hey, I know you! Your the singer for Signal 99!" He was excited to meet me. Being his sub for the day he pulled up his chair and started a whirl of questions. Like the curiousity of a five year old, he wanted to know everything about the travels in a band. In other words, he wanted to know about the "life" of being a musician.

I told him about the travels, the people I met. I also told him about the stages we played on, and the national acts we had the honor of opening up for. I also told him about us struggling on the financial side. How we had to eat really really cheap at times. Or the times we had to sleep in the ride. Not too mention the vehicle problems we encounter on the road.

He sat there in awe. His response, "Wow. The life. I can't wait to get where your at. You should check out my band! Give us pointers!"

"The life?" I said. This is not for everyone. I'm suprised I made it this far. I have had my own family push me away. I lost the love of my life to music. I almost died in a car accident coming back from a gig. This life is not for everyone. I recently started to question my motives of being a musician. I quit a high paying job, for what? A gig that pays next to nothing? To sometimes being ripped off after a gig. No wonder why the love of my life left me. She didn't understand why I was out on the road playing gigs night after night.

So why am I doing this? My family is constantly on my back about it. My former work place didn't like me doing music. My ex girlfriend left me because of it. I found out the biggest enemy on your journey toward your dream is your own flesh and blood.

One reason? For YOU. There is nothing like a fan coming up to you and telling you that a song has reached out to them. Or how the music changed their life somehow. Music is an expression. We all have different ways of venting. Music is mine. A Marine recently attended a show in Gallup in January 2010. He shook my hand, and told me it was an honor to see and hear us play. How the music spoke to him and gave him an outlet to connect with. He told me about the horrors of war and that he is shipping out again in August to Afganistan.

This is what they don't understand. We are not going to fully understand everyone, nor will we comprehend why we do what we do, but the fact is, the music reached out to someone who needed at that given time. I'm willing to sacrifice my life to music, as the Marine sacrificed his life to serve his country.

I have a calling. And I'm stepping up to answer that call. So understand that I'm on a mission to better people's life with music.

To my family, friends and to the former love of my life... wish me luck. Please understand that I do this to help, not hurt those close to me.

chuck haven - 2010

9 days into the rest of my life

As I sit here writing this blog, I started to wonder what to make of the future. I was at my last job for some 8 years. I put in my resignation on June 4th, 2009. Although it felt somewhat of a forced resignation, it was probably the best thing to do. My employers kept bugging me to focus on work, and not music. They wanted to know where I was going after hours, they told me to start getting a house, a car, and to settle down. They treated me bad, but praised me for the work. Doesn't make sense. It got to the point where I felt "guilty" for going to the bathroom. They always wanted to know where I was going, even on my breaks. I was miserable at my job. Grouchy going in and left work hating that place.

So now, I have no job. Just whats left of my 8 year run. Am I happy? Did I make the right decision?

I weigh out the differences. Making good money and be miserable, versus making next to nothing and be happy...

I choose life. I don't want to pass this life with "What if?"

I have mixed reactions with my decision. I upset some people with leaving my comfort zone, because I have disrupted theirs. So what's become with this new chapter in my life? Good or bad, all that I know is that the decision has been made. There is no turning back now.

I will continue to do what I love and work on the side to support it.

Welcome the new Chuck... nine days and breathing.

chuck

Ouch...

I laid there in pain, teeth clenched, and eyes closed. All I remember is stepping on my foot pedal to turn on the flange for the bridge part of the song, "High in Life."

It felt like an unknown force threw me back into the drummers cymbals, just inches away from falling directly onto his drums. I took out three of his cymbals, and fell onto my guitar amp.

My guitar was feeding back on stage, I looked up, and saw the drummer looking at me, still playing. I looked to my right, the bass player was also still playing.

What really happened is that I never played on a carpet stage before, and I twisted around with my right foot still planted. Just then I felt my right knee cap pop out of place. I immediately felt nothing but pain and my leg gave out, sending me backwards.

As I came crashing down, I was holding my leg, knee cap was literally bulging onto the right side of my knee out of place. My god I was in pain.

So I did the first thing that felt natural to do. I pushed my knee cap back into place. The whole time the band was still playing, and as soon as I pushed it back in, another overwhelming pain took over. I lied there in fetal position holding my leg, all the while, my guitar feeding back on stage.

I opened my eyes to see the bass player in my face yelling, "Chuck! Chuck! You okay man!?!"

I closed my eyes again, not wanting to move or get up, or even talk. I felt like passing out. I opened my eyes again, and this time the owner was in my face yelling, "Dude, you okay man!?!"

I took a deep breath, turned down the feeding back guitar, waved off my bassist, and the owner of the venue. It was dead silence in the venue. I used my guitar to get off the floor. I slowly limped backed to the microphone and said, " OWWW, s$!@ f#! $# *(%& *^&@@&^ damn f^*^& knee!!!" People were cheering, and I was in pain.

I asked the drummer for a 4 count, and we picked up right we left off. We still have 4 more songs to go. What can I say? The show must go on.

Two weeks later, I'm in the doctors office getting a steroid injection shot into my knee... ouch.

Anything for music.

-chuck

Tax Season

This past weekend, I was at my computer trying to do my taxes. I have had some people say, "Why don't you just take in your taxes and have someone do them for you?" My response, "Why should I pay someone over a hundred bucks to do my taxes, when I can do them online for next to nothing?" What can I say, times are tough, and money is hard to come by. This year, I started treating my music as a business. My first step toward a professional entertainment business.

As I sat down and started adding up my expenses, and saw how much Uncle Sam took out in taxes. I started adding up my newly found business expenses and deductions. I was sitting here, and the neighbors kept playing their music loud. Walls shaking and bass booming. After thirty minutes, I got tired of hearing hip hop, R&B, and their babies crying and playing on my fence.

I started thinking to myself, "Must be nice to live off the government." Yeah, have kids, don't work, get paid for sitting at home and listen to your stereo while the kids play outside in the cold. Not too long after yelling at the neighbor kids not to play on the fence, the neighbor's wife comes rolling in a new ride. A sense of anger and resentment comes over me. I can't even afford a new ride. I have had the same ride for the past 5 years. I barely make ends meet. Living paycheck to paycheck. Paying taxes with zero dependents.

If you read my last blog, I lost my ride to an unfortunate accident. Maybe insurance will help me out. Yeah right! Have cheap insurance, you can kiss your ride good bye.

So what am I to do? What are my options? Have babies, get fired and claim I can't work? I grin as I think to myself, "What a nice thought, maybe I can pursue my dream of being a rock star by not working, having kids, and get my monthly check." Why not? I have paid my taxes every year since I was 16 years old. How is it that I work my butt off, but my neighbor, who is probably a high school drop out, get a loud stereo, new ride, and party just about every weekend?

The computer reminds to keep plugging in those numbers or else the site is going to log me off. My grin goes away. The dream fades off into the unknown. I stop tapping on my desk. I look at how much I'm getting back. Not bad. I look out the window, and see kids playing by the tree. My grin slowly comes back. I have something much more than those who take the easy way out. Dignity. I don't need to be pampered and handed freebies. I make my own way in this world.

Life is tough, so is tax season. Hahaha. As I complete my taxes, the tax program says there is an error. It tells me, the form needed to complete my taxes is not available at this time. My grin goes away. It's my money, but I have to wait. Life's not fair, but I know for sure what I'm going to get when my refund comes in, the biggest damn stereo system and turn it up so the neighbors can hear my music...

chuck

The Mondays

"Somebody has a case of the Mondays."

What is it about Mondays? Some of us have jobs Monday through Friday. Some of us work through the weekends and have Mondays off. I for one, is stuck in a Monday through Friday job, 9 to 5. I miss the days of working weekends and having the weekdays off once in awhile. I can see why some people "fake" their sickness. I remember the first time I did that. I felt guilty. Hahaha. I don't like liars, but yet, I was one, just to be off of work for one day.

Funny thing, I don't do that anymore. I'm stuck at my desk working away being productive. Just this past December, I was in a Rollover accident. My brother had to help me get out of the ride. I was taken to the Emergency Room via ambulance on a Sunday morning. Damn weather.

The Next day, Monday, I called my boss and told her what happened. Eventually, my job told me to take the week off. I only lasted two days at home. Bored out of my mind! I went back to work, two days later, battered and bruised. People thought I was crazy coming back in. "You should have just taken the whole week off!"

I don't know if they knew what was going on in mind, but why should I stay at home and let this "tragedy" beat me down. I wasn't about to be succumbed to the accident. There was no way this accident was going to control my life. Sure I bumped my head, bled a little, and froze my butt off in the cold mud, but "what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger."

A new life, a new beginning for me. I was taken back to the accident scene, picked up some loose change from what was left, and told myself that I was lucky. Ironic that we did a complete 180 turn on the road, slid onto oncoming traffic, then flipped. I was dangling upside down. Kind of reminds me of life. Sometimes we "think" we have control over life, like the way we control a vehicle, but the way life turns you around, flips you, and dangles you upside down until all your change falls out... sounds like life to me.

Another Monday, another adventure.

I'm glad this Monday is about over. A word to the wise, make sure you log off your computer everytime, or else. But that is yet another story for next time...

Live your life.

- haven

Korn/Coal Chamber Influenced band turns heads with its Studio Debut release

FOUR CORNERS AREA HOLDS THE HOTTEST UPCOMING METAL BAND CALLED SIGNAL 99 WITH THEIR DEBUT CD RELEASE

Farmington, NM -- New Mexico has long held the roots of some of music industry’s most influential and successful artists, crossing genres from Bo Diddley to Randy Travis. In the millennium, Signal 99- helmed by singer/songwriter/lead guitarist Chuck Haven- has emerged as one of the region’s hottest up and coming metal bands. Rock fans and critics alike have been tuning into Signal 99 for a distinctive millennium metal sound that Metal Horizon Magazine has already praised for its “strong vocals and intense sound.”

Signal 99 has been hard at work carving out a solid live reputation, having shared stage-time with many of the region’s biggest rock/metal acts, including ill nino, Nonpoint, Green Jelly, Ekotren, DIECAST, Dine Alone, I.R.A.T.E., Nuumak, Psychostick, and soon to be Powerman 5000.

Signal 99 has also been featured on No Cover Magazine’s ‘Groupies Suck Vol. 9’ Sampler CD, released in 2007, Apache Rose Publishing’s ‘Best New Bands Vol. 3’ Radio Sampler (serviced to 1000+ college radio stations), and Versailles Records’ ‘Strip Club Rock Vol. 1/2’ comp, released nationally to stores in the spring of 2008.

The band’s considerable radio presence has included rotation on KRWN FM 92.9 - Farmington, NM; KFMQ 106.1 FM - Gallup, NM; KXXI 93.7 FM - Gallup, NM; and KSJD 91.5 FM - Cortez, CO among others, as well as ‘Track of the Day’ on GarageBand Records for several tracks, including ‘Armed & Dangerous’ and ‘Candy.
The band has also been hard at work in the studio for the release of their full-length debut LP, ‘Armed & Dangerous Vol. 1’, in September 2008. Priced reasonably at $9.99 and available on CD Baby.com (http://cdbaby.com/cd/signal99music), at Farmington Hastings, select ZIA Records Stores in Arizona, and soon to be national outlets.

Looking to the future, Metal Horizon Magazine has further concluded that Signal 99, because of their unique style of playing, “have an opportunity to influence a different sound of metal to the metal scene." As the band’s profile continues to rise nationally, visit them online at http://www.sig99.com/, www.myspace.com/signal99

My first time...

Greets!

My first blog, so take it easy on me. Why this blog? Something to help get some ideas across, and share my views on current events.

I'm hailing from the Four Corners of the world. lot of news, music, and thoughts in this area. Sometimes good, and sometimes bad.

But hey, it's a blog. Be forewarned, as my spelling and thoughts at times, will not make sense.

Until next time,

haven